ISLAMIC QUOTES and more…

Actually, in its purest form, Islam is incredibly tolerant. That makes what's going on in the world really bizarre.
Steve Earle

All people hope Islam helps everything in life. Islam will make jobs. Islam will make freedom. Islam will make everything.
Ahmed Ali

All too many Muslims fail to grasp Islam, which teaches one to be lenient towards others and to understand their value systems, knowing that these are tolerated by Islam as a religion.
Abdurrahman Wahid

America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.
Barack Obama

As a result of that, America desires a moderate Islam; an Islam that America can control; an Islam that America can give direction to and give orders to its leaders.
Louis Farrakhan

Because Islam in its original form was tough and hard, not weak and pliable.
Abu Bakar Bashir

Beside all this I think there was something personal, being Muslim myself who lived in the west I felt that it was my obligation my duty to tell the truth about Islam. It is a religion that has a 700 million following, yet it's so little known about it which surprised me.
Moustapha Akkad

But the West is trying to weaken Islam from outside and inside. They attack our people and invade our countries from outside, and they weaken us from within with ideas like secularism, liberalism and democracy. This is all designed to contaminate our pure Islam.
Abu Bakar Bashir

But when I reintroduced the Nation of Islam, and began to host meetings in cities and thousands and thousands of people come out.
Louis Farrakhan

Come forward as servants of Islam, organise the people economically, socially, educationally and politically and I am sure that you will be a power that will be accepted by everybody.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Establishing an equilibrium between the Islam of truth and Islam as an identity is one of the most difficult tasks of religious intellectuals.
Abdolkarim Soroush

Europe is no longer Europe, it is Eurabia, a colony of Islam, where the Islamic invasion does not proceed only in a physical sense, but also in a mental and cultural sense.
Oriana Fallaci

Every fundamentalist movement I've studied in Judaism, Christianity and Islam is convinced at some gut, visceral level that secular liberal society wants to wipe out religion.
Karen Armstrong

Fortunately, historians are now beginning to recognise the historic role of Islam as a liberating force for peoples oppressed by the burdens of unjust social systems.
Aly Khan

Having embraced Islam, I felt as if I were born again. I found in Islam the answers to those queries which I had failed to find in Christianity.
Jermaine Jackson

However, those who have used those words use half the sentence to fit their purpose, which, of course, I believe is to discredit me and the new Nation of Islam that has come up around me.
Louis Farrakhan

I am ready to sacrifice everything in completing the unfinished agenda of our noble jihad... until there is no bloodshed in Afghanistan and Islam becomes a way of life for our people.
Mohammed Omar

I am totally against the idea that a Muslim woman should not have the same opportunities as a Muslim man to learn, to open up, to work, help shape the future. To close Islam down to a sexist approach is totally intolerable and ridiculous. It's not Islam.
King Hussein I

I believe in the religion of Islam. I believe in Allah and peace.
Muhammad Ali

I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.
Barack Obama

The Inner Secrets of Fasting

This article is taken from the book Mukhtasar Minhaajul-Qaasideen (p. 38-41), This article was translated by Isma’eel Ibn al-Arkaan and edited by Abu Khaliyl.

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Know, that in the fast (Sawm) is a special quality that is not found in anything else. And that is its close connection to Allaah, such that He says:

‘‘The Fast (Sawm) is for Me and I will reward it.’’ [2]

This connection is enough to show the high status of fasting. Similarly, the Ka’bah is highly dignified due to its close connection to Him, as occurs in His statement:

‘‘And sanctify My House.’’ [3]

Indeed, the fast is only virtuous due to two significant concepts:
THE FIRST: It is a secret and hidden action, thus, no one from the creation is able to see it Therefore riyaa‘ (showing off) cannot enter into it.
THE SECOND: It is a means of subjugating the enemies of Allaah. This is because the road that the enemies (of Allaah) embark upon (in order to misguide the Son of Aadam) is that of desires. And eating and drinking strengthens the desires. There are many reports that indicate the merits of fasting, and they are well known

THE RECOMMENDED ACTS OF FASTING:

The pre-dawn meal (suhoor) and delaying in taking it are preferable, as well as hastening to break the fast and doing so with dates. Generosity in giving is also recommended during Ramadhaan, as well as doing good deeds and increasing in charity. This is in accordance with the way of the Messenger of Allaah. It is also recommended to study the Qur‘aan and perform I‘tikaaf (seclusion for worship) during Ramadhaan, especially in its last ten days, as well as increasing upon the exertion (towards doing good deeds) in it. In the two Saheehs, ’Aa‘ishah said: ‘‘When the last ten days (of Ramadhaan) would come, the Prophet would tighten his waist wrapper (izaar)’’ [4] The scholars have mentioned two views concerning the meaning of ‘tighten his wrapper (izaar)’ The first is that it means the turning away from women. The second is that it is an expression denoting his eagerness and diligence in doing good deed. They also say that the reason for: the last ten days of Ramadhaan was due to his seeking of the Night of al-Qadr (Laylatul-Qadr).
AN EXPLANATION OF THE INNER SECRETS OF FASTING AND ITS CHARACTERISITCS:

There are three levels of fasting, the general fast, the specific fast and the more specific fast. As for the general fast, then it is the refraining of ones stomach and their private parts from fulfilling their desires. The specific fast is the refraining of ones gaze, tongue, hands, feet, hearing and eyes, as well as the rest of his body parts from committing sinful acts. As for the more specific fast, then it is the heart’s abstention from its yearning after the worldly affairs and the thoughts which distance one away from Allaah, as well as its (the heart’s) abstention. From all the things that Allaah has placed on the same level. [5] From the characteristics of the specific fast is that one lowers his gaze and safeguards his tongue from the repulsive speech that is forbidden, disliked, or which has no benefit, as well as controlling the rest of his body parts. . In a hadeeth by al-Bukhaaree: ‘‘Whosoever does not abandon false speech and the acting upon it, Allaah is not in need off his food and drink.’’ [6]

Another characteristic of the specific fast is that one does not overfill himself with food during the night. Instead, he eats in due measure, for indeed, the son of Aadam does not fill a vessel more evil than his stomach. If he were to eat his fill during the first part of the night, he would not make good use of himself for the remainder of the night. In the same way, if he eats to his fill for suhoor, he does make good use of himself until the afternoon. This is because excessive eating breads laziness and lethargy therefore, the objective of fasting disappears due to one’s excessiveness in eating, for what is indeed intended by the fast, is that one savours the taste of hunger and becomes an abandoner of desires.
RECOMMENDED FASTS:

As for the recommended fasts, then know that preference for fasting is established in certain virtuous days. Some of these virtuous days happen every year, such as fasting the first six days of Shawwaal after Ramadhaan, fasting the day of ’Arafah, the day of ’Ashooraa, and the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram. Some of them occur every month, such as the first part of the month, the middle part of it, and the last part of it. So whoever fasts the first part of it, the middle part of it and the last part of it, then he has done well. Some fasts occur every week, and they are every Monday and Thursday. The most virtuous of the recommended fasts is the fast of Daawood. He would fast one day and break his fast the next day. This achieves the following three objectives, the soul is given its share on the day the fast is broken. And on the day of fasting, it completes its share in full. The day of eating is the day of giving thanks and the day of fasting is the day of having patience. And Faith (eemaan) is divided into two halves- that of thankfulness and that of patience. [7] It is the most difficult struggle for the soul. This is because every time the soul gets accustomed to a certain condition, it transfers itself that. As for fasting every day, then it has been reported by Muslim, from the hadeeth of Aboo Qataadah that ’Umar (radiyallaahu ’anhu) asked the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam): What is the case if one were to fast everyday? So he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘‘He did not fast nor did he break his fast or, he did not fast and he did not break his fast.’’ [8] This is concerning the one who fasts continuously, even during the days in which fasting is forbidden.
CHARACTERISITCS OF THE MORE SPECIFIC FASTS:

Know that the one who has been given intellect, knows the objective behind fasting. Therefore, he burdens himself to the extent that he will not be unable to do that which is more beneficial than it. Ibn Mas’ood would fast very little and it is reported that he used to say: ‘‘When I fast, I grow weak in my prayer. And I prefer the prayer over the (optional) fast.’’ Some of the Companions would weaken in their recitation of the Qur‘aan when fasting. Thus, they would exceed in breaking their fast (i.e.. by observing less optional fasts), until they were able to balance their recitation. Every individual is knowledgeable of his condition and of what will rectify it.
Footnotes:

[1] This article is taken from the book Mukhtasar Minhaajul-Qaasideen (p. 38-41) of the illustrious scholar and righteous Imaam, Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee (d.529H). This article was translated by Isma’eel Ibn al-Arkaan and edited by Abu Khaliyl. There were also slight adaptions made to it, such as the exclusion of a couple of statements. [2] Related by al-Bukhaaree (4/118) and Muslim (no. 1151).[3] Sooratul-Hajj: 26 [4] Related by al-Bukhaaree (4/322) and Muslim (no. 1147).[5] (Editors note: Additional comment is required here, The levels mentioned are levels of abstinence. The first of these three levels entails the abstinence which is fulfilled, the fast is considered complete in view of the one having met the legislated requirements [i.e. It does not have to be repeated or made up, the servant has indeed fasted.] The remaining levels deal with the value of the Fast. If the second is level is not met, the fast will be of less value to the servant, than if it were met and likewise for the third. Thus it is said that intentional eating and intercourse render the fast null and void, whereas committing other unlawful acts such, likes speaking falsely, placing the unlawful look to the opposite sex. And so on will constitute a sin of one degree or another, but not nullify the fast. [6] Related by al-Bukhaaree (4/99)[7] {Editors note: This statement is based upon an unauthentic Hadeeth, which has been reported by al-Kharaa‘itee and ad-Daylamee. One of its narrators was graded ‘‘abandoned’’ by an-Nisaa‘ee and adh-Dhahabee. Al-Manawee and al-Albaanee approved of its grading. See ad-Da’eefah (no. 625).[8] Related by Muslim